To the Guest who hasn't read Icebringer 1:
I wonder how the sequel looks from the eyes of someone new o.O I would think it's a tad bit confusing xD The things you mentioned in your review are explained in Icebringer 1, but if you don't want to read it that's totally fine. Eventually I'll have a synopsis of Icebringer 1 set up so if people don't want to, they don't have to read the full story. I'll put an A/N on here whenever I do finish the synopsis.
To Skylar:
I know I need serious improvement on writing this story. I don't really notice any mistakes until after I publish them. Lately, I've been typing up the chapters and publishing them right before my class starts so I don't have time to over analyze each thing.
If anyone wants to be my new proof reader, let me know! There's no time restrictions and so long as you're not TOO busy, I'll let anyone do it. I just don't want proof reading my story to interfere with anyone's lives.
I noticed a mistake in the previous chapter that I assume confused quite a few people so I went back and edited it.
The weird thing is that if you read my original stories on Google Doc, you probably wouldn't be able to tell I'm the same writer! For some reason, on fanfictions I don't write as eloquently as I normally do.
Once again, I really do appreciate everyone's feedback!
Karima crossed her arms over the papers still against her chest, "In my honest opinion, I don't think any of you should go after Leesa, let alone bring her back. Even if she isn't Icebringer when you find her, she will inevitably become Icebringer."
Mordecai sat down in front of Karima's bed and leaned his back against it, "Since Leesa and Icebringer are two separate beings, isn't there a way to split them up?" Glacier flew over to Mordecai's lap and under his arm. Mordecai looked down at his Hawnks and patted her head, "There has to be a way to save Leesa."
"There has been no sign of Leesa and Icebringer ever splitting. The experiments were extensive and spanned the course of over twenty years." Karima kept folding and unfolding the corners of each piece of paper in her arms as she explained, "Presumably, Icebringer cannot survive without Leesa as a host and Leesa has never been without Icebringer."
Roland glanced over at Mordecai, "Whether we bring Leesa or Icebringer back is up to Mordecai."
Mordecai stopped petting Glacier and looked over to Roland in shock.
Karima shook her head and placed her reading glasses on her face while flipping through the papers in her arms. She found a stapled packet and placed it on top of the large pile before reading it aloud, "'Test Subject 001 has shown signs of intelligence beyond what she has been taught. As a nonbeliever of innate knowledge, I began to provoke the subject until she reacted with a voice that was not her own. Said voice spoke in Eridian until I commanded it to stop. After I was done speaking, the voice inside of the subject transitioned through multiple languages until it 'matched' my own. The voice then taunted my workers and I until it caused one of my strongest men to break down into a spiraling depression within seven minutes. It then stopped and the subject's voice reappeared as if nothing had occurred. I checked up on the traumatized worker a few weeks later and discovered he had committed suicide.'"
Karima breathed out heavily and took off her glasses, "Icebringer convinced a scientist to commit suicide. Seven minutes with Icebringer changed a man's life. If that doesn't tell you that Icebringer should stay away from here... I don't know what will."
"We're not trying to find Icebringer though." Roland responded simply while crossing his arms.
"I'm sorry to say this, Roland, but there are some skewed reasons for all of you to find Leesa. Guilt looks to be like the biggest reason why any of you would go chasing-"
Lilith interrupted Karima, "We're not trying to find Leesa because we're guilty she's there! We genuinely care about her and we all want her back home." She placed her hand over her chest, "Karima, please help us find Leesa."
Karima focused her gaze on the floor and looked to the side, "I can't..."
"We have all seen what Icebringer can do." Salvador hopped off of Karima's bed, "Leesa is strong and I know she is waiting for all of us."
Karima shook her head, "You haven't seen Icebringer's full power. She is much stronger than what she's allowed you to see. Only a fool wouldn't be able to see that all of this is just a trap. Icebringer is using Leesa's image to get you all into the other dimension and I will not aid her."
Glacier flew off of Mordecai's lap as he stood up. He walked up to Karima and gently took the papers from her arms, "These papers you have here do not define Leesa."
Karima looked up at Mordecai, "I..." She didn't continue when she saw Mordecai clench his jaw.
Mordecai placed the papers onto the desk behind Karima, "I'll admit that I do feel guilty for not being able to save Leesa but that is not the only reason I want to find her." Mordecai reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper, "Leesa is the kind of person to give presents to those she disagrees with. Leesa is the kind of person to force herself to live her own nightmares in order to save a stranger's life. Leesa is the kind of person who doesn't sit around and watch a man drink himself to death over his troubles. She's the kind of person to stand up and give that man a choice... A choice I never thought I would have."
Karima moved her head down to avoid Mordecai's masked stare.
"Icebringer didn't enter that dimension... Leesa did and if there's even the slightest chance that we can save Leesa, I'm taking it. Whether you help us or not is your choice, Karima. I don't blame you for your doubts but you can't expect me to leave the woman I love inside of her own nightmares." Mordecai grabbed Karima's wrist and placed the note inside of her hand, "Leesa used Phase Terror to keep herself in the other dimension. As we speak, she's being tormented."
Karima clutched onto the note and slowly lifted her head up, "I'll start looking for Lyptus."
The sides of Mordecai's mouth twitched slightly into a smile, "Thank you."
Karima moved her head to look around Mordecai, "Did Leesa tell you anything else about Lyptus?"
Roland shook his head, "All she mentioned was about the Highlands."
Zero looked up at the door, "It's getting dark."
"How in the world do you know that?" Mordecai asked while turning away from Karima. "There's no windows in this house!"
Maya placed a hand by her mouth and whispered, "He thinks he knows everything."
Zero rubbed Maya's back, "You know I heard that."
"Oh, but I don't. You're the one who knows everything." Maya responded.
"You're doing it again, Maya."
"Doing what?"
"... Nothing."
"You were going to say 'that pregnant thing' again, weren't you?" Maya asked while crossing her arms.
"You actually said that to her before?" Lilith asked while stifling a laugh.
"I hate to interrupt, but are you all going back to Sanctuary?" Karima asked while looking over her shoulder at the group.
"I'd rather stay here, if you don't mind." Roland responded.
Zero helped Maya stand up off the chair, "Do you have extra beds?"
Karima nodded, "I have a ton. They're all upstairs."
Mordecai held out his arm and whistled for Glacier. She flew off her perch on the railing of the stair case and landed on Mordecai's arm. Mordecai walked past Roland and Lilith and left Karima's house to stand outside.
Lilith yawned and stretched her arms out over her head. Roland placed his hand on Lilith's lower back and whispered in her ear, "Head upstairs. I'll be there in a few minutes."
Lilith grabbed onto Roland's arm, "Are you going to make sure he's okay?"
Roland nodded and watched Lilith head over to the staircase before he followed after Mordecai and Glacier. Roland saw Mordecai standing off on a hill near Karima's house while Glacier flew around in the air. Roland walked up the hill and patted Mordecai's shoulder once he reached the top.
Mordecai glanced over at Roland for a moment before looking back at the road past the hill the two stood on.
"I'm sorry we haven't done much since you've been back..."
Roland looked down at his boots, "No, it's fine. I understand how hard it must be for you right now."
"... Thanks.", Mordecai muttered under his breath.
Glacier swooped down and flew between Mordecai and Roland in rapid circles before flying back above the two.
"She's a really fast flyer." Roland commented.
Mordecai nodded while crossing his arms, "Has Leesa ever mentioned me?"
Roland paused, taken aback by the sudden question. "She used to. Her and I would have lengthy conversations about everyone."
Mordecai clenched his jaw before slowly releasing the tension, "Why doesn't she want to talk to me directly?"
Roland looked over at Mordecai, "I don't think she has a choice on who she can and can't talk to, Mordecai."
"What if she does though?"
"That's not what you should be focusing on right now."
"Then what should I be focusing on?" Mordecai asked while throwing his arms to the side, "I can't stop thinking about her, but you're the one who gets to talk to her all the damn time."
"You should be focusing on what you're going to do when you see Leesa." Roland answered.
Mordecai looked down at the ground, "You'd tell me if Leesa was in danger, right?"
Roland took a deep breath, "She is in danger, Mordecai."
Mordecai turned his head towards Roland quickly, "What?"
"She's been in danger the very moment she entered Phase Terror, but there's nothing we can do until we know where Lyptus is."
"Is that why you wanted to stay here tonight? Do you think Leesa will show up again?"
Roland slowly nodded, "We need another clue."
"Mordecai!"
Roland and Mordecai turned around to see Maya standing in Karima's doorway. She waved her arm while shouting excitedly, "Karima has pictures of Leesa! She's so dang cute as a baby!"
Mordecai looked back at Roland, "Tell me as soon as you see Leesa."
Roland watched Mordecai walk off with Glacier in tow. He turned around once the door closed and came face to face with Leesa. He jumped back slightly, "Leesa-"
"How's he holding up?" Leesa asked while holding her hands behind her back.
Roland looked Leesa up and down and noticed she looked just as she had before her cryptic messages.
"He misses you." Roland answered.
Leesa turned her head to the road and smiled, "This is where Mordecai saved me."
"After Jack had captured you?"
Leesa nodded, "Mordecai told me once that when he picked me up, he felt... Complete. He was startled by it at the time since we hadn't known each other for that long but I felt something, too. I felt safe in his arms."
"Leesa... What do you need me to do?" Roland asked.
"What do you mean?"
"These messages you've been sending me-" Roland stopped when Leesa's eye twitch and she suddenly lunged forward and grabbed onto his throat.
Roland was paralyzed in Leesa's soft grip. She leaned in towards his ear and whispered, "Salt and dust... Metal and cloth... Water and rust..."
A sudden flash of light caused Leesa to hiss and vanish. Roland stood completely still for a moment as Leesa's words buzzed around his head.
"She was here, wasn't she?"
Roland turned around to see Karima lowering her camera from her face. He slowly nodded as Karima pulled out the film roll from her old camera.
She held up the camera and smiled, "I bet you haven't seen one of these babies in a long time, huh?"
"N-No, I haven't."
Karima walked up to Roland, "What did Leesa say?"
"Salt and dust. Metal and cloth. Water and rust." Roland responded, "It's another clue."
Karima placed a hand on her chin, "Very cryptic indeed."
Leesa appeared behind Karima and placed her hand on her shoulder. As soon as Leesa came into contact with her, Karima's nose started to bleed.
"Oh darn it." Karima pulled out a napkin and wiped her nose dry.
"That's why I don't contact anyone else." Leesa removed her hand from Karima's shoulder, "I'm poison."
"That doesn't make any sense." Roland responded.
"What doesn't make sense?" Karima asked while shoving the bloody napkin back into her pocket.
Roland shook his head, "Nothing. Sorry."
"Is Leesa still here?"
Roland looked up at Leesa as she nodded and leaned across Karima's shoulder to get closer to Roland. "Ask her about Elizabeth."
"She wants me to ask you about an Elizabeth..." Roland answered.
Karima's eyes widened, "Metal and cloth..."
Roland furrowed his brow, "Does Elizabeth have something to do about what Leesa said?"
Karima smiled, "Yeah... You better thank Leesa."
"Why?" Roland looked up to see Leesa had vanished once more.
"She gave us our next move!" Karima exclaimed, "Lyptus must be out across the ocean!" Karima moved her arm to the side to show off the water past Overlook.
"I don't get how you came to that conclusion. Who's Elizabeth?"
Karima shook her head while still smiling, "Elizabeth isn't a person. It's the name of my ship."
Now, I know it looks like Karima changed her mind super fast... Which she did. But I mean, Mordecai is so sad when it comes to Leesa ;A; He could convince anyone to go after a crazy powerful being of destruction.
To those who want to know what's going on with Brick and Axton:
Within the next couple of chapters, I will switch over to their adventures! Whoo!
Funny story:
My Borderlands 2 was doing that weird update glitch where I couldn't play online and it wasn't registering my DLCs. My BF got it to work yesterday and it only lasted until earlier today =P Now it won't register my DLCs and it won't let me play online again. Yay...
It was nice having Borderlands 2 around for a while.
PM me if you guys see any mistakes! Please and thank you!